2 fatalities

Plane Crash in Mountainous Venezuela Kills Two Pilots; Passengers Uninjured (YV-O-MAC-1)

Machiques, VenezuelaFlight

On December 15, 1979, a Cessna 500 Citation (registration YV-O-MAC-1) operated by Venezuelan Government was involved in an aviation accident near Machiques, Venezuela in flight. 2 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An inspection flight for Venezuela's Ministry of Agriculture crashed near Machiques after an emergency landing attempt. Both pilots died; three passengers, including Minister Luciano Valero, escaped unharmed.

Accident Details

The aircraft departed from La Carlota-General Francisco de Miranda earlier in the day on an inspection flight for the Venezuelan Ministry of Agriculture and Farming. While flying along the Colombia-Venezuela border, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft subsequently crashed in a mountainous area near Machiques and came to rest in flames.

Casualties

All three passengers, among them Minister Luciano Valero, escaped uninjured. Both pilots were killed. The crash site was located in a remote, mountainous region, complicating response efforts. No other ground casualties were reported.